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Veronica De La Cruz

Veronica De La Cruz is a Filipino-American Internet correspondent for CNN's flagship morning news program, American Morning. Based in New York, De La Cruz reports on the hottest news from online sources and blogs and guides viewers through the most popular and essential stories from CNN.

Veronica De La Cruz is a Filipino-American Internet correspondent for CNN's flagship morning news program, American Morning. Based in New York, De La Cruz reports on the hottest news from online sources and blogs and guides viewers through the most popular and essential stories from CNN.com and i-Reports, the network's user-generated content initiative.

Previously, De La Cruz served as a news anchor for CNN.com, where she anchored CNN.com Live, CNN Pipeline and "Now in the News," a fast-paced hourly Web- and wireless-exclusive news update. In that time, she anchored live coverage of major breaking stories including the death of former President Ronald Reagan, the tsunami in Southeast Asia, the Hezbollah-Israeli conflict and Hurricane Katrina. She also provided briefings on CNN/U.S. and Headline News about the most popular stories on CNN.com and served as a substitute anchor for both networks.

De La Cruz joined CNN in 2003 after working as an anchor, reporter and producer at KYMA-TV in Yuma, Ariz. There, she anchored and produced a one-hour morning newscast as well as anchored a half-hour show at noon. She produced reports and did live shots for the evening newscasts. During her tenure at KYMA-TV, De La Cruz covered numerous stories on U.S.- Mexico border issues, the nation's nursing shortage and the plight of the migrant farm worker. She also produced a series on the homeless, with whom she continues to do extensive volunteer work. She also serves as a spokeswoman for Lions Health First Foundation, which provides preventive health screenings for senior citizens and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Before KYMA-TV, De La Cruz worked as a music journalist for SonicNet/Digital Planet and Eruptor Entertainment's "Living Giant." She began her broadcasting career hosting "Direct Drive," a show she created for the Digital Entertainment Network.

Before beginning her career in journalism, De La Cruz spent a decade of her life as a competitive figure skater. She is a member of the Asian American Journalists Association and mentors aspiring broadcast-journalists at the Associated Press Television-Radio Association's Academy.

From an interview with AllThingCNN.com:

1. What was your big break? De La Cruz: For me, it was landing at CNN.com from a TV station in Yuma, Arizona. I have had so many amazing opportunities since I first walked through the doors of CNN Center in Atlanta -- and now the TimeWarner building in New York -- my entire life has changed. Who was your mentor or role model? I’ve had a few – more than my fair share. I think it would be quite unfair to single anyone out. Let's just say if you've made a difference in my life, have sat with me through hours of tape, corrected my scripts with your red pen, graciously reached into the back of your closet to make sure I had at least one good suit, and listened to me talk about work endlessly over brunch -- you definitely know who you are.

2. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? De La Cruz: One of my best friends in Los Angeles recently got into roller derby. I used to think she was crazy until I saw it for myself. Given my background as a figure skater, I secretly think I could be very good at it. Plus, I never got to have a skater name like "Mila Minute". How cool would that be?

3. What’s on your iPod? De La Cruz: My favorite song this past summer was “American Boy” by Estelle. I put it on when I’m feeling nostalgic for the season, especially since it's been raining a lot here in NYC. I’ve also been listening to a lot of Sia. I’m a big lover of all types of music. World music really feeds my longing for travel and other cultures. I’m also a big fan of Cesaria Evora and Bebel Gilberto. What are you reading? Besides dozens of blogs and my Twitter feed, I’ve been making my way through Barbara Walters’ memoir – “Audition” and Fareed Zakaria's “The Post American World.” I normally send everything and anything to my BlackBerry and read it that way.

4. Last movie you saw? De La Cruz: Oliver Stone's “W.” I found the film’s final scene -- a dream sequence where President Bush ends up in a stadium losing sight of the ball – to be particularly symbolic and disturbing. Off-camera Veronica: family, hobbies, favorite authors, episodic TV? My father is a French-German Jew whose family escaped Nazi Germany and changed their last name from Schertz to De La Cruz. My mother is a Filipina-Chinese immigrant who was the 4th of 18 kids. I have a little brother who lives in Las Vegas and I grew up in California, spending more than a decade of my life as a competitive figure skater. My skating career ended after I was injured. I don't get to read enough for pleasure; instead I consume massive amounts of information through newspapers, magazines and the Internet. I’m addicted to Twitter and am always reading my Twitter feed. I grew up reading Thomas Friedman every Sunday in The New York Times. I was constantly entertained by post-modern authors such as Brett Easton Ellis and Jay McInerney. I don't have time to watch episodic TV, though I used to Tivo “24.” Now the only thing I Tivo is Zakaria's CNN program “GPS,” though I try to catch it when it airs on Sundays. I must admit “Family Guy” is a guilty pleasure.

5. When did you decide that you wanted to be a journalist? What attracted you to this profession? If journalism wasn't your initial career goal, what was? De La Cruz: When I was in college, writing and music were my passions. So I figured I’d become a music journalist. While I was in school, I came across the opportunity to work for a new company called DEN.net that was launching Web-based alternative programming for Gen XY. Instead of writing for a music publication, I ended up on camera, hosting and producing a music show. It was an amazing experience that allowed me to travel around the world. It ended up launching my broadcasting career. Shortly after, I took my first news job in Yuma, Arizona. What's your favorite must have gadget? I would say my BlackBerry and my Flip video camera. I never leave home without them.

6. You’ve come a long way from Yuma, Arizona. Is there anything you miss about living in the Southwest? De La Cruz: The big open skies. When I lived there I used to get away from all of life’s stresses by going to the park and lying in the grass. I loved staring up at the big open sky and the clouds. It was also a bonus that I could go swimming in December when my friends were living in places where snow was falling. I would always call them to say it was 84 and sunny.

7. What about you would surprise viewers most? De La Cruz: Probably my ethnic background. I think it’s confusing for many people. Some think I am Asian. Some think I am Hispanic. I think people would be very surprised to find out that -- much like Barack Obama describes himself – I’m a mutt. I’m a Filipino-Chinese French-German-Jewish-American. I am curious to see how the Obama White House might change people’s perspectives on race.

8.Live television can be unpredictable- can you tell us about an on air moment that didn't go quite as planned or went awry? De La Cruz: There was a funny moment on “CNN Saturday/Sunday Morning” with T.J. Holmes and Betty Nguyen when my chair got stuck and we couldn’t get it to go down. We wrestled with it all during the break and realized we were coming back in 10 seconds, there was no way we were going to be able to lower it so we were all about the same height. We did my segment with me towering over the two of them, at least six inches taller. It was totally and completely awkward, but we had a good laugh about it.

9. If you could pick one story from history to cover, what would your dream story be? De La Cruz: I’d pick an entire decade: the 60’s, including the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights movement, MLK Jr., Cesar Chavez, Neil Armstrong, JFK’s assassination, and especially Woodstock. There were so many important events that took place during that short decade, it would be difficult to choose just one.

10. What is your guilty pleasure? De La Cruz: I’m embarrassed to say that I love romantic comedies and I don’t discriminate. I like them all, even the really bad ones. It probably has something to do with the fact that I’m a self-described hopeless romantic and an eternal optimist. I think I also mentioned that I watch “Family Guy.” I was Asian Reporter Tricia Takanawa for Halloween.